Expectations High for Short Track 500m Sweep... All Three Men and Women Advance to Finals

In the 500m short track event at the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games, three athletes from both the men's and women's national teams all advanced to the finals, raising expectations for a sweep of the 500m titles.

On the 8th, at the multipurpose hall of the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center in Harbin, China, the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games 500m event took place. From the men's national team, Park Ji-won, Kim Tae-sung, and Jang Sung-woo competed, while from the women's national team, Lee So-yeon, Choi Min-jung, and Kim Gil-li participated, all advancing to the finals.

In the women's 500m semifinals, Kim Gil-li was placed in heat 1, while Choi Min-jung and Lee So-yeon were in heat 2.

Kim Gil-li competed against two Chinese athletes, Wang Xinnan, and Zhang Chutong in heat 1. She fell behind at the start and remained in 4th place, far from the leading pack until the middle of the race. However, Wang Xinnan from China and Kazakhstan's Khan Yana collided in the lead group, causing both to fall. Kim Gil-li moved up to 2nd place and then overtook Zhang Chutong of China in the final lap to finish first. Zhang Chutong was also overtaken by Japan's Shimada Rina and failed to advance to the finals, finishing 3rd. Wang Xinnan, who collided with Khan Yana, advanced to the finals by receiving an advance.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

Choi Min-jung surged ahead from the start in heat 2, distancing herself from the second group and finishing first. Lee So-yeon closely contested with China's Pan Kexin and secured 2nd place, advancing to the finals.

In the men's 500m semifinals, Kim Tae-sung and Jang Sung-woo were placed in heat 1, and Park Ji-won in heat 2, all advancing to the finals.

Kim Tae-sung finished first in heat 1, while Jang Sung-woo qualified for the finals by finishing 3rd and advancing based on his time.

Park Ji-won competed against China's Luan Xiaojun in heat 2. Luan Xiaojun finished first, and Park Ji-won finished 3rd, but Kazakhstan's Abzal Azgaliyev, who finished 2nd, received a penalty, allowing Park Ji-won to advance to the finals in 2nd place.

Historically, South Korea has won only one gold medal in the short track 500m event at the Winter Asian Games. In the 1999 Gangwon Games, Lee Jun-hwan was the sole gold medalist in the men's 500m.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.